Winter Deer Foods

The following is a partial listing of tree and shrub species that are eaten by deer in the winter, arranged in order of quality and preference. This listing is based on thousands of observations in deer wintering areas over many years from all parts of New York State.

Winter Deer Food

Preferred or Best Liked

Cedar, white or arborvitae

Yew

Apple

Sassafras

Mountain maple

Maples*

Wintergreen

Witch hobble

Flowering dogwood

Alternate leaved dogwood

Basswood

Staghorn sumac

Second Choice

Elderberry

Red berried elder

Mountain ash

Highbush cranberry

Highbush blueberry

Willow*

Silky dogwood

Red osier dogwood

Honeysuckle

Nannyberry

Cucumber tree

Hemlock

Wild raisin

Arbutus

Readily Eaten

White ash

Sugar maple

Oaks*

Black birch

Yellow birch

Hickory

American chestnut

Black cherry

Witch hazel

Spicebush

Choke cherry

Elm

Black walnut

Shadbush, Winterberry

Lowbush blueberry

Butternut

Black ash

Hazelnut

Wild grape

Bush honeysuckle

Leatherwood

Starvation or Poor Food

Scotch pine**

Pitch pine**

White pine**

Red pine**

Beech

Aspen or poplar

Mountain laurel**

Rhododendron**

Gray birch

Paper birch

Musclewood (Blue beech)

Ironwood (Hop hornbeam)

Spruces

Alder

Black locust

Grey-stemmed dogwood

Red cedar

Balsam**

Raspberry and blackberry

Sweet fern

Pin cherry

Sheep laurel

Tamarack

Gooseberry (current)*

Buckthorn

Hawthorn

*There is considerable difference in palatability and preference of the different species of this genus.

**This species is often browsed heavily enough to appear to be second choice food in areas where winter food is inadequate.